Tasmania Hikes and Bites: South Cape Bay and Summer Kitchen

If you’re hungry for unbridled nature and have a taste for fresh baked goods made with local ingredients, (or if you’re curious about what a real-life Australian snake encounter is like), this third installment of Tasmania Hikes and Bites is for you! Last week we took a jaunt down to Southwest National Park and picked up some tasty treats from one of my favorite Tasmanian bakeries along the way. It was an epic success and one of those days I’ll feel nostalgia for when I’m old and gray.

(Be sure to check out my Hikes and Bites for Mt. Amos and Mt Field National Park too!)

Let’s dive into a rundown of the 18km South Cape Bay trek with a stop at Summer Kitchen.

The Park: Southwest National Park

Southwest National Park is Tasmania’s biggest national park, covering a whopping 6200 km². That’s 10% of the entire island! The area is a temperate rainforest that’s home to dramatic mountains, buttongrass plains, glacial lakes, and a slew of interesting flora and fauna. It’s the most remote and wild part of Tasmania. There are only two points with road access, or you can take a boat or bush plane to Melaleuca, which was once a tin-mining settlement.

Tasmania’s most challenging treks and climbs lie within this park. Notably, the South Coast Track, which is a 85km one way trek that connections Melalecua and Cocklecreek. Other popular multi-day treks include Federation Peak (Australia’s hardest climb), the Western Arthur Range Traverse, and Mount Anne Circuit. All these treks are highly technical and require high-level navigation skills and hiking experience. AKA, not for us.

If you are keen to experience Southwest National Park in one day, there are three options. The Sentinels Summit Track, Duckhhole Lake Walk (easiest), and the South Cape Bay walk. (Great list of the options HERE). We opted for South Cape Bay and it didn’t disappoint.

The Hike (more so a walk…): South Cape Bay

The South Cape Bay walk starts in Cockle Creek, which is 2ish hours south of Hobart. It’s a 16km/10mi out and back track, but don’t let the distance scare you. The track is quite flat and very well maintained, making it simple and easy to navigate.

Not only is the walk easy, but it takes you through ever changing landscapes. There are rainforest sections with all types of tree species included Myrtle Beech, Huon Pine, and Giant Ash. Then the path spits you out into buttongrass plains offering a clear line of sight to jagged mountains in the distance.

Eventually, you’ll make it to a cliff overlooking the coast, and the views are jaw-dropping. The water is amazingly blue and clear, and there’s a pristine beach that hasn’t been spoiled by humans just yet. In classic Australia fashion, there were people surfing below. You know people mean business when they are willing to carry their boards 2 hours each way to get a good surf in. We went down and walked along the beach. There were a few fellow walkers swimming, and we spied the tents of happy campers on the far end.

We tried to stop to eat our snacks, but were immediately accosted by all types of flying bugs. So we kept carrying on and began the return walk back. Half way into the return, there was big excitement. I was in front, blabbing on about something, and a huge black snake launched itself out of the low grass into the bush. I instinctually hurled myself back towards Jeremy as it slithered away. Upon further reading, I’ve learned that the correct thing to do is to remain calm and slowly back away. Whoops…

There are only 3 types of snakes in Tasmania, all of which are venomous. Some Google research has led me to conclude that the snake we saw was a black tiger snake. Tiger snakes tend to mind their own business, but will bite if provoked or threatened. And you better hope you don’t get bitten. They are highly venomous with a mortality rate of 40-60% for untreated bites. Luckily, snake bites in Tasmania are incredibly rare, and fatal bites rarer still. There’s a much larger chance of dying via a car crash on the way to the trek then by a snake bite.

After the snake encounter, we kept trekking along and made it back to the car park in no time. The combination of epic scenery and exciting wildlife made this a walk for the books!

Key Notes:

It took us around 2 hours each way to get to the cliff lookout, and we spent another hour (or so) walking along the beach.
Be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, and layers— the weather is notorious for turning quickly.
Cockle Creek is stunning, and has great camp sites if you don’t want to do such a long day trip.

The Bite: Summer Kitchen

Southwest National Park is remote, and snack options nearby are few and far between. However, the drive to get there takes you through the Huon Valley which is home to my favorite Tasmania bakery: Summer Kitchen.

Summer Kitchen is a quintessential Tasmanian bakery that whips up some of the best sourdoughs in the state. The secret? Organic Australian ingredients, a wood-fire oven, and a sourdough starter that has been going since the 70s. The bakery itself is rustic and charming with an impressive selection of pies, breads, desserts, and pastries. We opted for a cardamon scroll, almond croissant, and custard tart.

The cardamon scroll had a thick, sturdy texture with impressive lamination. I loved the bold cardamon flavor that had a spicy warmth and ever so soft citrus flavor.The almond croissant also had a thick, sturdy texture and was generously sprinkled with chunks of roasted almond. Most top-rated almond croissants I’ve had over the years have a soft, buttery flake-factor. This one had a hefty crunch and more robust structure, which I loved. I also enjoyed the added layer of flavor the roasted almonds contributed, and the fillilng was thick and decadent without being overly sweet.

Finally, the custard tart. It was creamy, light, and sweet with subtle notes of vanilla and nutmeg. The pastry was a bit too thick and hard for my liking. But hey, that’s my personal taste and you can’t win them all!